Comforting the Sakura
by Shadowsakura321
Summary: The legendary Tsunade has just died and no one is taking it harder then Sakura. Since a certain ravenhaired prodigy isn't here, who will comfort the cherry blossom? NejiSaku. Please read and review! Enjoy!


Hey u guys! I'm back! Here's a NejiSaku one-shot with mentions of SasSaku! Enjoy and please read and review! Also, check out my profile if you wanna read anymore of my stories!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: The legendary Tsunade has just died and no one is taking it harder then Sakura. Since a certain raven-haired prodigy isn't here, who will comfort the cherry blossom? NejiSaku.

Pairing: NejiSaku, Implied SasSaku and a hint of IzuSaku.

_Italics-flashbacks or thoughts_

'_Give me your loneliness'_

'_And I'll give you my tenderness'_

_-Ito Yuna _

COMFORTING THE SAKURA.

BY: SHADOWSAKURA321.

"K-Kami-sama-a…"

Tears brimmed in emerald eyes. Haruno Sakura hastily wiped her watery eyes and looked at up at Izumo and Kotestu. "C-Can I see her?" she stuttered softly. Izumo looked worriedly at his teammate and then back down to the pink-haired ANBU. "Sakura-san…" he started but then looked into her green eyes. Sakura sniffled. Izumo took a deep breath and nodded to Kotestu. Kotestu opened the two, metal doors of Tsunade's hospital room. Sakura sucked in a breath as she saw a cot with a white sheet thrown over it. Everything else felt dull and cold.

Sakura wrung her hands together and felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to meet warm, brown eyes. "It's all a miserable loss for everyone, Sakura-san" Izumo whispered softly. Sakura nodded wearily and managed to smile. "Arigatou Izumo-kun" She took a step forward and heard Kotestu quietly close the door behind him. Sakura pulled up a stool from the corner and dragged in near the cot. She was quiet for a minute.

"_Tsunade-sama, I want to become stronger, can I train under you?"_

"_NARUTO!" "Don't speak to the Hokage like that you baka!" _

"_I got it!" "I mastered the healing justu you taught me sensei!"_

Tears rolled down Sakura's pale face. After Sasuke had left, Sakura needed to show everyone how good she was. Apparently, cutting her hair and trying to stick up for her teammates wasn't enough. She was still weak in everyone's eyes. Except for Tsunade. She was like her mother, Sakura loved her so much. And now she was gone. Now Sakura only had the memories left of her beloved sensei. Sakura looked glumly down at the titled floor.

Shakily, Sakura bent over and slowly removed the sheet from Tsunade's face. Green orbs met with a pale face. Hazel eyes were closed as Tsunade lay lifelessly in front of her student. Sakura bit her lip and forced herself not to burst out sobbing. Cold hands reached up to her neck as Sakura unclasped a golden locket she had. She opened it one last time to see over ten smiling faces. Gaara, Naruto, Ino, Hinata, Asuma, Kiba, Kurenai, Shizune, Lee, Neji, Temari, Shikamaru, Gai… It was a picture of when Sakura had made it to ANBU. Kakashi threw a huge celebration. Everyone was there.

Except Sasuke.

Sakura held the locket close to her heart and then shut it tight. She leaned over again and slipped it over her sensei's head. Sakura then put the sheet respectively back on her and wiped the tears from her eyes. Sakura walked out of the hospital room, unaware that a certain Hyuga was sadly watching her.

Hyuga Neji was never a man for emotions. They made you weak. But seeing Sakura sad made him feel bad. Neji leapt down from the house top as Sakura made her way out of the hospital. Sakura looked up at the ANBU captain. He had gotten nicer, even more stronger and become quite cute. He even had a fan-club, just the size of Sasuke's.

Sasuke.

He wasn't here. _With her._

But Neji was.

"Sakura-san, are you alright?" "Everyone is sad that Hokage-sama has past away" he said sincerely. "I'm gonna miss her" Sakura nodded and leaned against the Hyuga. She could feel his heartbeat quicken. "So will I Neji-kun" Neji stroked her hair. He looked down at the ANBU. She had gotten stronger after the Uchiha left. "Would you like to just talk Sakura-san?" he asked smoothly. Sakura nodded "I would like that"

They walked to a small, meadow with blossoming flowers and sat under a huge ume tree with white flowers. "Where's your locket?" "I-I left it at home" Sakura lied. Neji nodded. Sakura gazed into his eyes and sighed. "I mean, I placed it around Tsunade-sensei's body" she said quietly. Neji nodded and took her hand in his. "The funeral's tomorrow" she said. Neji was silent. He was sad too. The Hokage was the best. "I'll be there" he said. Sakura began to cry. "I don't think I c-can hold o-on any-y longer-r!" she wailed. Neji wiped her tears and looked at her. "You can hang on to me" he said. Sakura's sobs quieted down. She turned to him and pecked him on the cheek. A tint of red shone on Neji's cheeks but was gone in a flash.

Sakura let go of Neji's hand. "Can you walk me home?" she asked. Neji nodded "of course"

'_Always the gentleman'_

'_Unlike Sasuke'_

Neji and Sakura walked side-by-side on the tree shaded road to Sakura's house on the other side of Kohona. Roses, lilies, pansies were planted in bunches all over her house. A weeping Sakura tree with fresh, sweet-smelling pink blossoms was in the middle of her lawn. They walked up the pavement walkway until they made it to the steps. Sakura stepped up and shuffled around in her purse to find her key. Sakura turned around to face Neji "thanks a lot Neji-kun" she said. Neji nodded and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Anytime Sakura-san" "Anytime"

Sakura smiled and closed the door behind her. Neji turned away and sparred a glance back at the house. The light was on and Neji assumed that Sakura was making lunch. Neji walked away to the Hyuga compound, and looked up into the sky. After Tsunade's funeral, Neji was one hundred percent about something.

'_We will not have the Sakura that we knew back'_

The next day, the sun was bright and the sky was clear. But to Sakura it was a rainy blizzard. Sakura stepped out of her house, wearing a little black dress, similar to the one she had worn for the Third's funeral. Naruto was waiting for her. His face was grim. His eyes were red. Sakura and Naruto walked silently by each other to the middle of town. Everyone was there weeping and crying. The rookie 9 and Team Gai were in front, by the casket, their eyes red and faces like stone. Jiraiya was also there, trying to hold back tears. He was going to miss Tsunade so much. Everyone turned to see Naruto and Sakura. Hinata and Jiraiya walked over to Naruto.

The elders spoke while genin, chuunin and people went to pay their respects, placing a white flower by her Hokage picture. Jiraiya walked over and placed a red rose by her. Sakura held back from crying.

He had loved her.

Lastly, Sakura walked over and placed another red rose by her sensei. She looked down at the closed casket and wished she could see her face on last time. Memories flooded back to her. Happy ones, sad ones, crazy ones. Sakura stood next to between Ino and Neji when the casket was buried into the soil. She cried on Neji's shoulder and he didn't stop her. "TSUNADE-BAACHAN!" Naruto cried. Hinata grabbed his hand and cried too.

After the ceremony, Kohona was dull. Sakura tucked a strand of long cherry-colored hair behind her ear. She looked up to find Neji staring back at her. She closed her eyes.

"I miss her already" she whispered. Her voice was shaky and full with grief.

Sakura laughed dully and looked at Neji. "Right now, I would wish the Sasuke was here" she said icily. Neji looked at her. Hatred filled inside him. Sakura licked her lips and breathed out. "But I have you Neji-kun" she said. Neji smirked. "And you'll always have me Sakura-san" With that said, Neji leaned over and kissed her on the lips. After about thirty seconds, they broke apart. Sakura leaned back against the bench and put a hand on Neji's shoulder. "I am very grateful Neji-kun" she said. Oddly, no tears appeared her green eyes this time.

"Tsunade-sensei would have loved my choice"

-Owari-

Like it? PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! And also check out my profile for some other NejiSaku stories or some SasSaku stories!

A/N: This is before Asuma dies and after Sasuke leaves, maybe about three years into the future. Gaara, Kankuro and Temari were there but I forget to actually mention them. Also about IzuSaku, Izumo and Sakura actually pretty cute together. If anyone writes a IzuSaku one-shot, I will surely review! We need more un-obvious pairings!

I hoped you enjoy! NOW REVIEW! Just kidding, but a review will be nice. Please?????????????

-Shadowsakura321


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